Manure dehydrator



May 27, 1941- J. G. CLARK 2,243,192

MNURE DEHYDRATOR l N V ENTOR.

. ATTORNEY.

J. G. CLARK MANURE DEHYDHATOR May 27, 1941.

Filed June 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvENToR. cfa/nes Chr/, BY

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED` STATES 'PATENT GFFECE MANURE DEHYDRATOR James G. IClark, Newark, N. J. Application June 28, 1939, Serial No. 281,507 3 Claims. (,QI. 263-19) This invention relates, generally, .to dehydrating apparatus; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to improvements in apparatus adapted for drying and disintegrating manures, and especially for so treating poultry manure.

Ihe disposal of manure has long been an annoying problem for poultry raisers, and yet, when properly processed, such manure contains the basic elements for producing a well-balanced commercial fertilizer, and, for this reason, can well be converted into a profitable by-product of the poultry farm, while at the same time ridding the farm accumulations of raw manure, which is well known to be a nasty, unsanitary, and unsaleable product.

Having these things in mind, it is an Vobject of this invention to .provide a simple, elcient and cheaply operated apparatus for reducing raw manure (which contains from 60 .to 75% water) by applied heat and agitation, to a dry and comparatively finely divided state, whereby the same is converted into a well balanced plant. fertilizing food, readily adapted to enter into and mix with the soil desired to be fertilized thereby. The heat applied in the operating of the novel apparatus also serves to kill germs, weed seeds and spores contained in the manure, the presence of which in the resultant fertilizer would be detrimental.

The invention has for another object to provide a dehydrator apparatus for the purposes stated, and for other purposes for which it may be adapted, wherein a rotary kiln is provided at one end with an interior perfcrate receiving and tumbling drum into which the material to be operated upon is served by a delivery conveyer means, means being provided for supplying heat to and through the interiors of the drum and kiln, and said kiln having means to move the dried and disintegrated manure to its other end for discharge therefrom.

The invention has for another object to provide a novel discharge chute means cooperative with the discharge end of the kiln, said chute means being selectively disposable in a service or out-of-service position, and said kiln having means for picking up and transferring the dried and disintegrated manure to the inner receiving end of said chute means.

Other objects cf this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be 1mderstood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fg. 1 is a Vertical longitudinal sectional view through the dehydrator apparatus made accordi; ing to this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary gltudinal base rails, across which, at a suitable location, extends a `deck plate II, or other suitable supporting means for the carrying and driving mechanism of the rotary kiln member of the apparatus. Said rotary kiln member comprises a cylindrical body I2 having truncated conical end members I3 terminating in axially extending circular flanges I l bounding the end openings provided thereby; one of said openings, as l5, constituting a rear end opening, constituting a front end or discharge opening I6. Externally affixed to and around said' kiln body, respectively adjacent to the respective ends thereof, are channeled track rings I.

The means for supporting and rotating the kiln body comprises a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced parallel shafts i8 and I9, which are journaled in bearing standards 20 suitably supported, as e. g. upon the deck plate II bridged across the hase rails I9. Fixed on said shafts are driving rollers 2l which engage in the track rings Il, whereby rotary movement of said rollers imparts a rotary movement to the kiln body about its longitudinal axis.

Suitable power transmission means is provided for driving the shafts I8, I9 and the rollers 2i carried thereby. An illustrative form of such transmission means comprises, a suitably located bearing standard 22 affixed to said deck plate Il, and in which is journaled a counter shaft 23. `Afflxed on said shaft 23 is a large pulley 242-, and also afiixed on said shaft 23 are drive pulleys 25 and 26 which respectively drive, through the respective driving belts 2'I and 23, the driven pulleys 29 and 30 which are respectively afxed on said respective shafts I8 and I9. Power from a suitable scurce is applied tosaid large pulley 2t. For example, an electric motor 3l is provided and mounted on the deck plate II, its armature shaft having a drive pulley 32 operatively connected with said large pulley 24 by a transmisand the other sion belt It will be understood that there are many other kinds of transmission means capable of use for transmitting kiln operating power to the shafts IS and i9 and their kiln driving rollers 2l, and which may be used without departing from the scope of this invention.

Fixed within the forward interior end portion of the kiln body i2 is a cylindrical tumbling drum 34 of reduced diameter disposed concentric thereto. This tumbing drum is closed at its forward end by an imperiorate end wall 35, and is likewise closed at its rearward end by an end wall S6 having a central opemng 3'1. The cylindrical wall of said tumbling drum is perforated by a multiplicity of openings 3% leading outwardly from its interior to the annular space intermedi-A ate the same and the spaced surrounding cylindrical wall of the kiln member l2. Arranged'in said annular intermediate space, to extend therethrough to a point approximately adjacent to the forward end of said tumbling drum, are a series of circumferentially spaced radial longitudinally oblique nights The spaces defined by these flights 39 are preferably closed at their rearward ends by an annular portion ring 4t, so as to prevent trapping of material, discharged from .the drum, Within the kiln interior beyond the rearward end of said drum.

Means for supplying heat to the interiors of said tumbling drum 3d and of said kiln member l2 is provided. This means comprises a housing 4I located adjacent to the rearward end of said kiln member I2, said housing terminating at its upper end in a cylindrical forwardly projecting extension 42 sized to lit and extend through the rear end opening I of said kiln member, and thence forwardly through the opening 31 of the rear end wall 3S of the tumbling drum 34, so as to terminate within the interior of the latter. Mounted on suitable support 43 within said housing 4I is an upwardly open combustion chamber or fire-box 44 made of a suitable refractory material. Mounted adjacent to said housing 4I is an oil burner mechanism f, the discharge end of which extends through a wall of said housing into engagement with an opening it in the side of said combustion chamber or fire-box 44; through which opening 4t, the burner jet il of said oil burner mechanism d5, when ignited, discharges into the interior of said combustion chamber or fire-box, the products of the combustion of fuel burned by said oil burner mechanism. Provided in the lower end of said housing 4l are air intake passages or ports 48, whereby air is admitted to the housing for admixture with the products of combustion emitted from the combustion chamber or fire-box 44, to thereby furnish hot gases for introduction and flow through the tumbling drum 3d and kiln body I2.

Supported adjacent to the forward end of said kiln body I2 is an upstanding stack 4t, supported by a suitable footing means 58 mounted in connection with the base rails Il. Said stack is provided in its rearward wall with an opening I into which extends the circular flange I4 which bounds the discharge opening l of the kiln body, whereby communication is established between the interior of the latter and the interior of said stack.

Means are provided for delivering manure to be dehydrated and distintegrated into the interior of the tumbling drum 3d. in a preferred form thereof, this means comprises, a receiving hopper 52, from the lower end of which extends a forwardly projecting conveyer trough 53. This conveyer trough 53 is disposed to enter through an opening 54 provided in the extension 42 of said housing 4I, so as to pass axially therethrough, and thence into the interior of the tumbling drum 34, to terminate within the rearward end portion of the latter. Mounted in connection with said hopper 52 and conveyer trough 53, so as to extend therethrough, is the shaft 55 0f a rotatable helical or screw-type conveyer 56,

.Which, when operated, moves the manure delivered into said hopper E2 forwardly through said trough 53, so as to discharge the same from the latter into the interior of the tumbling drum 34. Preferably said hopper and conveyer trough are mounted on a movable carriage 51 provided with traction wheels 58 adapted to move on and be guided by said base rails l0, whereby the hopper and conveyer trough may be arranged for withdrawal from operative relation to the kiln body I2 and tumbling drum 34 at will. The conveyer trough is preferably open along the top side of its forwardly extending portion, so that, when withdrawn from operative relation to the kiln body and tumbling drum, access to the interior thereof may be had for cleaning the same, or for other desired purpose. Any suitable means may be provided for actuating the conveyer 56. Preferably such means comprises an electric motor 59, suitably supported by a bracket extension 60 provided in connection with said carriage El. A suitably supported worm and gear transmission means 63, adapted to be driven by a pulley 6I and belt 32 from the motor shaft pulley 63, imparts desired operative movement to the shaft 55 of said conveyer 56. Any other suitable means for driving the conveyer 56 may be employed, however, without departing from the scope of this invention.

In the operation of the dehydrator apparatus, the hopper and conveyer trough being moved into operative relation to the kiln member, the wet manure deposited in the hopper 52 is engaged by the actuated conveyer 56 and moved forwardly through the conveyer trough 53, so as to be discharged therefrom into the interior of the tumbling drum 34. .The kiln body I2 and the tumbling drum 34 are caused to revolve by the driving mechanism serving the same, while at the same time the ignited oil burner discharges burning fuel into the combustion chamber 44. Under the draft produced by the stack 49, the products of combustion are drawn from the combustion chamber into the housing 4I and admixed with air admitted into the latter through the ports 43, thus producing a hot gaseous mixture which is delivered through the housing extension 42 into the interior of the tumbling drum 34, and thus in contact with the wet being tumbled about Within the latter. Said hot gaseous mixture passes outwardly from the tumbling drum through the openings 38 thereof into the interior of the kiln member I2, being caused to flow therefrom through the discharge opening i6 and thence upwardly through the stack 49.

As the wet manure is tumbled about in the interior of the drum 34 in the presence of the hot gases passing therethrough, the moisture content thereof is driven off, and the agitation produced by the tumbling movement operates to disintegrate the manure masses, so as to reduce the same to a substantially dry and coarse powdery condition. As such condition is attained, the manure particles may and will pass outwardly through the openings 38 of the tumbling drum Wall, and

manure' thence into the annular space intermediate'the drum and the walls of the kiln body l2. Since the latter space is occupied by the longitudinally oblique or inclined radial flights 39, the emitted manure is caused, by operation of said flights, to move forwardly beyond the tumbling drum and into the open forward interior portion of the kiln body l2, preparatory to discharge from the appara-tus.

Means are provided for automatically discharging the dehydrated and disintegrated manure from the apparatus. This means comprises a discharge chute 64, with means for so mounting the same that it extends from the forward interior portion of the kiln body I 2 outward through the discharge opening I6 of the latter, and thence across the interior of the stack 49 4through an opening 65 provided in the outer wall of the latter. The outer end portion of said chute is movably supported at its .sides by slide rings B'S, or other suitable connecting means, upon curvilinear guide rod brackets 67 which are secured to and which project from the outer wall of said stack 49. When the outer end porti-on of the chute 64 is slid downward on the guide rods 61, the chute is rocked longi-tudinally to a position wherein its inner end is elevated within the kiln body interior, thus causing the chute to incline downwardly and outwardly therefrom, so as to discharge the dried manure delivered onto its inner end portion. To pick up the dried manure l from the kiln body interior and deliver the same into the elevated receiving end of the chute 64, a series of axially parallel radial flights 68 are secured to and around the kiln body walls. These flights, under the revolving movement of the kiln body, during their upward or rising movement pick up the manure, an-d as they are carried above and across the chute drop or discharge said manure onto the chute, whereupon the manure slides downwardly through the latter for discharge from the exterior end of the chute 4into such receiving containers or receptacles as may be desired to be loaded therewith.

If it should be desired to stop discharge of the dried yan'd disintegrated manure for any reason, such e. g. as shifting of receiving containers, or to allow a dwell of the material in the kiln .body interior for a longer period than results from normal discharge under continuous or uninterrupted operation, then the outer end portion of the chute 64 may be slid upwardly on the guide rods 6l, to the dot-ted position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, in which posi-tion, the inner end of the chute is downwardly Iand inwardly inclined, so as to return any manure received thereby back to the bottom of the kiln body.

It will be obvious .that the dehydrator apparatus may be operated in a substantially continuous manner or in intermittent manner as may be at any time desirable. Suitable control of the speed of opera-tion of the feeding conveyer and of the kiln body, will govern the time factor so that the manure under treatment may be caused to move through the apparatus at the rate of speed best calculated to produce the degree of dryness desired.

I am aware that many changes could be made in the apparatus above described and shown in the accompanying drawings, and many apparently widely dierent embodiments of this invention coul-d be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined bythe following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying ldrawings shall be interpreted as illustra-l tive and not in a limiting sense.,

I claim:

l. Dehydrator apparatus comprising, a kiln body mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, means to drive said body, a perforate tumbling drum of less length than said kiln body xed within the rearward interior portion thereof in concentric spaced relation to the side walls thereof; a fuel combustion means including a housing having an elbow extension to enter through the rearward end of said kiln body and through the rear en-d wall of said tumbling drum for communication with the interior of the latter, an upwardly open combustion chamber of refractory material mounted within sai'd housing in spaced relation to the walls of the latter to provide a surrounding ingoing air passage, an o-il burner adapted to discharge burning fuel into said combusti-on chamber, and said housing having air intake means below said combustion chamber for supplying air through said air passage for admixture with the hot products of combustion discharged from said combustion chamber to thereby form a large volume of hot gaseous mixture for -delivery to said tumbling drum interior; a draft creating stack with which the forward discharge end of said kiln body communicates and through which said hot gaseous mixture is discharged; means to deliver material to be treated into said -tumbling drum; circumferentially spaced flights fixed between the kiln body side walls and said tumbling drum whereby material emitted from the latter is shifted beyond the tumbling drum into the forward interior portion of said kiln body, and means material from said forward interior portion of said kiln body.

2. Dehydrator apparatus comprising, a kiln .body mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, means to drive said body, a perforate tumbling drum of less length than said kiln body fixed within the rearward interior portion thereof in concentric spaced relation to the side Walls thereof; a fuel combustion means including a housing having an elbow extension t-o enter through the rearward end of said kiln body and through the rear end wall of said tumbling drum for communication with the interior of the latter, an upwardly open combustion chamber of refractory material mounted within said housing in spaced relation to the walls of the latter to provide a surrounding ingoing air passage, an oil burner adapted `to discharge burning fuel int-o said combustion chamber, and said housing having air intake means below said combustion chamber for supplying air through said air passage for admixture with the hot products of combustion `discharged from said combustion chamber to thereby form a large volume of hot gaseous mix-ture for delivery to said tumbling drum interior; a draft creating stack with which the forward end of said kiln body communicates and through which said hot gaseous mixture is discharged; means to deliver material to be xtreated into said tumbling drum; circumferentially spaced longitudinally oblique radial flights Xed between the kiln body side walls and said tumbling drum whereby material emitted from the latter is shifted beyond the tumbling drum into the forward interior portion of said kiln body, said forward interior portion of said kiln body having axially parallel straight radial flights space-d around its walls, and a pivoted discharge longitudinally oblique radial` for discharging the treated 2, including arcuate chute guide and support means -aflixed to Aand exteriorly of sai-d stack, and means on the outer end portion of said chute to cooperate with said guide and support means.

JAMES G. CLARK. 

